Fede asks Health to create a therapeutic specialty in diabetes

These requests have taken place in a meeting that the Board of Directors of the Organization has held on Wednesday with the Minister of Health, Alfonso Alonso, and with the Secretary General of Health and Consumption, Rubén Moreno Palanques.

The creation and establishment of a therapeutic specialty in Diabetes (ETD) is a "crucial" demand for Fede, since it helps to facilitate the essential knowledge and skills for the patient's self -care with diabetes, by supporting the person and his familywith the aim of achieving the best possible results.

"The role played by the nurse specialized in this pathology is the main figure in the care of the patient with diabetes. However, it is not yet recognized as a specialty, there are nor there are diabetological education programs for structured patients, continued and adapted to each patient,Therefore, the administration is required to create it, "said Fede president Andoni Lorenzo Garmendia.

Another of the main claims of the Federation is to achieve equality throughout Spain in the treatment of diabetes preventing discrimination for geographical reasons.Therefore, he highlighted the need to "not forget" the main needs of patients with diabetes such as continuous diabetological education, quality health material or access to new treatments.

Finally, Fede has reminded Minister Alonso the need for the current model of the National Health System (SNS) to focus on the chronic patient, in order to end the "mismatches" caused by the aging of the population and the"shortage" of resources.

"It is necessary to give a greater prominence to the patient in the management of his pathology. A chronic patient, which according to the latest data, will generate an increase in care pressure since this group will represent 20 percent of the total population and consume the 80percent of the SNS resources.

Health undertakes to continue collaborating with Fede

For his part, the minister has pledged to continue collaborating with the Spanish Federation of Diabetics in the identification of good practices for its sharing in the SNS.In the last Interterritorial Council, held on January 14, the final list of the good practices presented by the Autonomous Communities in the 2014 call was approved.

Also, Alonso has been willing to incorporate the proposals of the Federation and to work together the administrations, professionals and patients to improve diabetes care.

Finally, the minister has assured that his ministry undertakes to "improve the prevention of the disease, the treatment of the patients and also the formation of these and their families for a correct monitoring and to avoid complications", taking into account that diabetesIt is the first cause of disorders such as blindness, renal substitute treatment and amputations.